Senior Exams Manager (Applied Knowledge Test)

• Full time, 35 hours per week
• Permanent
• Grade CL, Salary £61,083.07 per annum
• Interview date: Friday 28 August 2026

This is a critical role at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), providing strategic and operational leadership for the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), one of the College’s high-stakes professional examinations.

The AKT is acomponentof the MRCGP and a requirement for doctors undertaking GP specialty training who wish to obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training in General Practice.

Core functions of this role include leading the end-to-end AKT assessment lifecycle, includingitembank management, assessment content production, test construction, examination delivery, results governance, stakeholderengagementand continuous improvement activities.

Overall Purpose

To lead the strategic development, governance, deliveryand continuous improvement of the AKT, ensuring it is delivered safely, fairly, securely andin accordance withregulatory, professionaland organisational standards.

A key part of the role is workingclosely with clinical leads, psychometric specialists, assessment contributors, deliverypartnersand senior colleagues across the Collegetomaintainassessment quality, examinationintegrityand candidate confidence.

Reporting

The postholder reports to the Head of Examinations andis responsible for AKT operational and assessment staff, including line management of designated direct reports.

• Time Commitment and Term
• Permanent
• Full time
• London with hybrid working
• Remuneration
• £61,083.07
• Principal Responsibilities
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the AKT, ensuring effective governance, delivery, qualityassuranceand continuous improvement.
• Oversee the full assessment content lifecycle, includingexaminationitem development, review, approval, itembanking, test construction, post-testreviewand retirement.
• Provide oversight of AKTitembank management, ensuring effective version control, auditability, qualityassuranceand examination security.
• Lead examination delivery arrangements, working closelywith internal teams, clinicalleads, psychometric specialists, assessment contributors, deliverypartnersand senior colleagues across the College to ensure the AKT is delivered safely, fairly, securely and to the required regulatory, professionaland organisational standards.
• Ensure robust processes are in place for results verification, standard-setting, post-testanalysisand assessment outcome governance.
• Maintain oversight of AKT operational, delivery and assessment risks, ensuringappropriate mitigationsare implemented and clearly documented.
• Act as the AKT business lead for assessment production, systems, operationaldeliveryand continuous improvement.
• Lead relationships with assessment delivery providers and systems suppliers, contributing to supplier governance, contractmonitoringand service improvement.
• Support the handling of complex candidate cases, complaints, appeals, mitigatingcircumstancesand examination-related enquiries by providing AKT-specific operational and assessment advice.
• Lead and develop AKT staff, building capability, resilienceand succession planning within the function.
• Contribute to the wider strategic development of examinations and assessment services across the College.

Essential Attributes

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or able todemonstrateequivalent professional experience in examinations, assessment, education, qualifications, regulationor a related field.
• Significant experienceof managing examinations, assessmentprogrammesor other high-stakes operational services.
• Experience of assessment content development, itembankmanagementor comparable content production environments.
• Experience of leading complex operational processes involving multiple stakeholders.
• Experience of managing and developing staff.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk management, quality assurance, confidentialityand examination security.
• Strong communication, analytical, organisational and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience of computer-based testing environments.
• Experience of assessment production systems such as Exam Developer.
• Understanding of psychometric analysis, standard-settingmethodologiesor assessment performance data.
• Experience of AI-assisted content development and associated governance controls.
• Background of working within healthcare, professionalor educational assessment environments.
• Applications

This role is particularly suited to an experienced examinations, assessment or operational leader with strong governance, quality assurance and stakeholder management experience, and an interest in supporting the safe, fairand effective delivery of high-stakes professional assessment.

Please download the Candidate Pack.

To apply, please click 'Quick Apply' and complete the application form.

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